Had just a few citizens in Springdale, Ark., skipped Tuesday’s election on whether to approve a sales-tax extension to pay for a $33 million baseball stadium, Wichita might be breathing easier about keeping the Wranglers home at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. But the stadium passed — by 17 votes. In recent days, The Eagle also has confirmed with a Springdale City Council member that the possible move is more than a rumor: The Wranglers owners have been in contact with Springdale about moving the team as soon as the 2007 season.
The Wichita City Council and City Hall have just begun an aggressive campaign to fight for the Wranglers, with stadium improvements and the like. The Springdale vote makes that effort more necessary and urgent. If Wichita loses the Wranglers to Arkansas because of 17 votes, that will worsen the hurt.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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24 Comments
It’s the law of supply and demand.
If people don’t want to sit out in the hot sun to watch a bunch of wannabes and never-weres play a slow game, there’s not much we can do about it.
The marketplace has spoken. End socialism for sports.
“End” socialism for sports??? With the Wranglers, when did it start?
I’ll agree, I don’t like baseball. WAY too slow and ungodly boring. I’m ready for a nap after a few minutes of watching a bunch of grown men literally stand around, scratch themselves raw, spit, throw the ball around awhile without accomplishing much.
But the Wranglers contribute to this city’s quality of life and offer entertainment options to a populace bound and determined to convince themselves there’s nothing to do here. It would be a travesty to lose these guys.
I’m glad my Dad didn’t live to see this. It was around this time last year he was going to some of his last games. He was a partal season ticket holder. This would break his heart.
But I know what he would say cause he said it all while I was growing up.
“Wichita people wouldn’t pay a nickle to watch a pissant eat a bale of hay. And they wouldn’t walk a block to see it if it was free.”
‘07 – “It would be a travesty to lose these guys.” And how many games have you attended this year?
The reason no one goes to the baseball games is that there is no real fancy VIP boxes with private elevators and inside the fence parking:)
Did private investment build the stadium that the Wranglers play in?
If no, then that’s the socialism.
My tax dollars used for something that doesn’t benefit me, that I don’t want, and that I have no interest in.
BTW, it doesn’t really benefit anybody else either, unless you count sitting for four hours as exercise . . . in futility.
“My tax dollars used for something that doesn’t benefit me, that I don’t want, and that I have no interest in.”
You just described the downtown arena.
I’m glad you get to squeeze another nickel book. You are so typical of the people in Wichita. ME! MINE! MONEY!
I call it sad.
Just another thing Wichita won’t have added to the long list of things it doesn’t have.
Can you believe they are spending money trying to promote this hole?
Let um go! We’ll get another one.
Happy hunting joe
I don’t have any problem with government funding projects that improve the quality of life in this town.
Bush league baseball just doesn’t do it for me. Nor for a lot of others apparently.
Parks and trails, making the Arkansas a recreational area . . . I’d be for that.
Aww I was just picking on you for an example book. Welcome to the forum by the way.
I’m not necessarily for the city rescuing the team. The team is making some not very defensible demands.
A thought here though…..
Given the provincialism and tight fistedness of Wichita people……and the strange but true love many of them have for the community…..maybe that could be channeled.
Imagine if people went to see “their Wichita Wranglers”know it really WAS “THEIR” Wichita Wranglers. Each hot dog purchased a commitment and contribution to the community.
Might work…..might not.
Oh and Joe? If things DON’T change in some way or other baseball teams will NOT be beating down our door.
Having an independent minor league baseball team, might give Wichita some “ownership” of the players. Their trying to win a free agent contract with any team, not being told, report to Kansas City and lose 100 games.
American Association Independent baseball, maybe it would work. But they must play in a stadium that is competing with the new Wranglers stadium in Arkansas.
Baseball watching isn’t dull if there is some interest in the players. Same for football or basketball.
Wichita could use a couple of new stadiums, a new LD ball field and a combined use stadium that would include county dirt shows and WSU football.
Eventually the place will steal events from Kemper Arena as it gets older and more obsolete every year.
Wichita has old stadiums. The river isn’t all that useful. Parks are in disrepair all over the place. We need hiking and biking areas. Hike and bike to new stadiums, the arena, lover of that wouldn’t ever complain about parking close.
We could make rules about bicycles on city streets. Two equal one car so its possible for individuals to commute on bikes.
We have disfunction in our tourism efforts right now.
The Wranglers can go as a franchise, but the idea of minor league baseball has to stay a core sport in Wichita.
I don’t like hockey or arena football that could be in the downtown arena.
Who pays for the stadiums, some tax money will be used. Its necessary to be more investors money, of course. The city and county should partially own stadiums, but not the teams playing in the facilities.
I get whatcha saying. Somebody actually had a good idea the other day. About the city buying the Wranglers then selling shares of it to the public, like they did with Greenbay. Could work. I would buy a share or two.
Joe, really interesting idea…
I would support that plan…
As i said before, this city needs to loose a majority of the things it has before it will ever appreciate what it does…
(Wranglers, Cow Town, Museum of World Treasures, Indian Center, Art Museum, etc…)
Ben, I’ll admit I’ve only been to one Wranglers game this season. But you’ll see in my post that I don’t particularly care for baseball.
I know it’s a stretch for you to comprehend, but just because I don’t receive any personal benefit from the Wranglers does not mean I do not want the team to stay in Wichita. Some people are not only motivated by self-interest. In Wichita, the concept of community good is slow to catch on, but maybe someday we’ll step into the 20th century. While I’m not a baseball fan, I do appreciate the fact the Wranglers serve as a way to engage our youth, offer entertainment options to those who do enjoy baseball, make Wichita a well-rounded sports community, and add to the summertime atmosphere of the city.
It’s a shame many Wichitans do not understand or appreciate the overall good cultural and entertainment options can bring a community. Maybe someday we’ll stop asking “what’s in it for me?” and begin to become concerned about our city and each other.
‘07 – in that case perhaps you should start a fund to buy tickets for youth to attend the games.
Not a bad idea, Ben. I’ll chip in 10 bucks, proudly supporting the cause of both the youth of Wichita and our “socialistic” baseball team. Any more takers?
Thank you, Ben. That’s the kind of positive energy we need around here.
‘07 – perhaps you saw my suggestion of how you can go about getting football. Perhaps you can do something similar for this.
Nice sarcasm, Shock.
But I think the point is not that no one is interested in “the common good.”
The point is that “the common good” does not extend to socialized baseball–if people wanted it, they’d go to the games.
What we need are things that people will use. I don’t know what they are exactly.
But we tried Bush league baseball. It didn’t fly.
So long, been good to know ya . . .
Maybe we could be a leader in soccer?
Hundreds of kids are taking up the game . . . it could be the next big thing.
It has about one-hundredth the cost of American football.
How about the business model, Wranglers (team name I never liked) tied to the Royals failed in Wichita.
Minor league baseball with so many corporate promotions and free games given too often, dumbed down the product in our old LD stadium. Its perfect for the NBC tournament but less useful when a professional team is using it.
It’s not configured for today’s entertainment values. Way far behind new baseball stadiums, will be shamed by the Wranglers field in Arkansas.
Youth soccer works, enough kids play, but its not what America wants to pay and see as often like baseball.
Minor league baseball can work in Wichita, it just has to be fixed. Fresh management is nice in some markets and we’ll survive. The question is what can be done to bring minor league baseball back to downtown. Independent team, new stadium?
That area to town west of the river is about to be redeveloped, so in future years, where LD is, will look different.
Wichita lacks event facilities, the Colisieum, LD and Cessna Stadium don’t work anymore. That’s the problem. I have faith in Wichitans enjoying and supporting a decent product.
As a city we’re not competing yet on the same stage as cities this size in neighoring states. That causes people not to care. Everyone senses we’re not keeping up. Why support something that’s failing is on many minds.
I guess this means fewer people around the nation will be making their vacation plans for Wichita.
Actually, Pinko, I wasn’t being sarcastic. My ten bucks is on my coffee table waiting for others to join it.
But otherwise I know what you’re saying. I think the potential is there for Wranglers games to draw well–they used to. But current Wranglers staff either don’t know how to market themselves or don’t care. Going to a game is like going to a library. That’s not much of an experience for a fan. I second Mrage, this situation can be fixed. But it might be too late anyway. If the Wranglers do leave, that’s a little less Wichita has to offer. And the folks complaining about a socialized baseball team have to realize that LD will have no tenant 50 weeks out of the year. Socialism or not, that’s not an improved situation. It would be best for a team to be there so the stadium can generate a least some revenue for the city.